That’s the truth about you and me. So why don’t we find that life-giving reality abounding in our world today? Why are things, and why is MY life, so far from that good place? The Bible traces the problem back to the beginning, in Genesis 3.  It’s a telling tale, very deep and very current. You might want to stop and read it for yourself. It’ll take just a few minutes.

The long and short of it: God provided a lush setting for life complete with all man and woman needed.  He forbade them access to one tree, the knowledge of good and evil.  Why? Because God wanted to cramp their style? Is God a celestial kill-joy? No, this restriction was a love limit. Only God the Creator is competent to figure out what’s wrong and right in the long run for all creation. 

But satan slithered into the garden and planted subtle lies. He persuaded Adam and Eve that God was not a friend but an enemy. And the kicker, he suggested  that, “You will be like God” (Gen 3:5).” Adam and Eve took the bait. In reaching out to control what they had no business controlling, our ancient parents turned their backs on their loving creator, and all hell broke loose. They tried to hide, they tried the blame game, they even tried to play the role of victim. Their marriage headed toward the rocks. Before long, their two sons were fighting and killing one another. What a mess.

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